If you are in a crowd of people, can any of them tell that you are a Christian? Why or how do they know that you are a child of Christ? I have often heard it said that as Christians, our goal should not be to fit in, but to stand out. I have struggled with this statement for years because I believe that there has to be a balance. I feel that you have to stand out enough that God and everyone else knows that you are not ashamed of the Gospel, but you have to also fit in enough that people are not afraid to hear the Gospel from you.
There are pastors, gospel singers, and many people with great influence who say they are Christians, but refuse to use the name of Jesus Christ or to say that if you do not accept Christ, the consequence is hell. Then, there are fanatics who literally scare the hell out of people through hate and violence. I don't believe that God is pleased with pacifism or vigilantism. Look at Paul. Paul, as Saul, thought he was doing a great work for God when he was persecuting Christians. Then, after one encounter with God, he went from persecutor to persecuted. And, he did not let being threatened and jailed stop him. He had the stand out/fit in balance going so well that the prison guards were getting saved. But, if Paul is not a good enough example that there needs to be a balance, look at Jesus himself. He didn't exactly avoid those people who were shunned by society. He allowed sinners into His presence for the sake of saving their lives. And, on several occasions, he got alone by Himself to pray. If all Christians separate ourselves from everyone who has a lifestyle that we do not agree with, who will be left to teach of Christ? It's not about taking on the lifestyle of that person; it's about being who you are in Christ while you are around him or her, so that Christ's love is felt and stealing away to pray for the person and for yourself, so that the person can know Him and that your walk is not hindered. Once you plant the seed, it's up to God to do the watering. You don't have to sugarcoat the truth, but you don't have to be nasty either. It is a flesh/spirit battle, but when the Holy Spirit influences you, it could be a win for someone else's spirit as well. Ms. EV
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I once heard Joyce Meyer pose the question, “If Christianity were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Now, last year, those of us who followed the Casey Anthony trial saw just how important evidence is to getting a conviction. Though, the “court of public opinion” had already convicted Ms. Anthony, twelve jurors could not find conclude, based on the evidence presented by prosecutors that she was guilty. Think about it. Does your life give witness to your commitment to Christ? This is not just about who the public sees; this is about who you are when only God is watching.
Sometimes we live our lives as if Sunday is the only day that matters. We live however we want to live Monday through Saturday, but when Sunday rolls around, it is time to get everything right with God. You know the routine. At dusk, you roll over to the person who is not your spouse and tell him or her, “You don’t have to go home, but you have to get the (fill-in-the-blank) out of here! I’m going to church!” That person cannot be in your bed when the sun comes up on Sunday morning because, at times, we act like Sunday is the only day that God can see what we are doing. Once the bed is clear, we try to get some sleep, so we can stay awake in church, and be sure to give our loudest “Amens” and “Hallelujahs.” Then, we get dressed, get in the car, turn from The Beat or I Heart Radio to The Light or PURE Radio, and head to church. At church, we sing we clap our hands, and we take notes on the sermon. We live our Sunday life as holy as possible; no drinking (even though the game is on), no fussing (even if people cannot drive), no cussing (even if it is the only way to express the intensity of what you are saying) because we are remembering the Sabbath and keeping it holy. Maybe this is not your Sunday. For several years it was my Sunday. I felt like I could make up for a week’s worth of living like God didn’t exist with one day of repentant faithfulness. Perhaps, it is not literally Sunday living that you display. But, be very honest with yourself. Do you live as though God is aware of everything that you do 24/7/365? Is there enough evidence in your life to show that you are a Christian? God wants our best every single day. It is no different than what we want from the people who claim to love us. As Destiny’s Child said, “Say my name, say my name, when no one is around you, say baby I love you if you ain’t running game?” Are we trying to run game on God by putting forth a half-hearted public display of love? We would not accept that from our loved ones. Why should He accept it? We are human and we will make mistakes, but that is not an excuse to keep making the same mistakes over and over or to only live as a witness part-time. One time, my best friend and I were boarding a flight to New York. It had been a long morning. The flight was crowded. As we boarded, people kept stopping to put bags in the overhead bins, which was really annoying because they would stop and then the person behind you runs into you because that person is not paying attention. So, at some point, I started mumbling something or other under my breath in frustration. I really do not remember what I said. I honestly do not think that I cursed, but there is a possibility that I did or that the tone of what I said sounded like I did. In any case, a woman who was already seated made a comment about my griping. And so, I looked at her sweetly, and said, “Thank you for pointing that out to me. I really appreciate your candor in helping me walk according to the Word of God and the life that He would have me live.” NOT! (But I wish I had). I actually said, in a very mind-your-business-lady tone, “I didn’t curse!” because that made my behavior not seem as bad. To which, she replied, “Oh! I misheard you. I was admiring your necklace and I thought I heard you saying something, but I love your necklace.” The necklace to which she was referring was one with a cross pendant on it. It matters not what I actually said that day, so stop trying to figure it out. What mattered was that my attitude did not match the profession of faith around my neck. The physical evidence that day of my grumbling had outweighed the circumstantial evidence of my choice in jewelry. God, and everybody else, is watching us all the time. So, it is not even enough to have a public persona that looks guilty of a Christ-led life; we must also have behind the scenes evidence of our faith. Communication is the key to any relationship. Do you talk to God? Do you listen to what He has to say? Do you know what He has already said in His Word? If we say we are Christians, then we must show that we are Christians every day, all the time. It is not easy to commit fully to Christ when it means we have to change some of our habits and routines, but I am positive that suffering a crucifixion was not easy for Christ; yet He did it before we had even accepted Him. We, who proclaim Christ as Lord, should have enough evidence for an open-and-shut case on the charge of Christianity. Ms. EV |
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